Many people turn to hand-held magnifying lenses to see small objects. Whether the object is part of a hobby, small print on a contract, or a small component on a circuit board or engine, nothing beats a magnifying lens for making the object appear larger than life while keeping every detail sharp and crisp. However, due the optical properties of a magnifying lens, additional light on the magnifying object is required to make the magnifying process work efficiently. This typically requires the use of a separate light source from a lamp or flashlight, which of course requires another hand to hold the light source, but still keep it out of the way of the actual viewing process. The same problem of inadequate light is also encountered when using a mirror to see objects such as one's own face or a small component on a machine which may be hidden from a direct line of site.
Addressing the need defined herein, the innovative device combines the functions of a pocket mirror, a pocket magnifying glass and a pocket light. Upon initial observation, the invention looks like a conventional pocket magnifying glass contained within a plastic enclosure. However, after closer inspection, it can be seen that in addition to the magnifying lens, a mirror slides out of the other end of the enclosure, opposite of the magnifying lens. Additionally, a small light source, envisioned to be a light emitting diode (LED), is provided to light up both the mirror and magnifying lens area. A slide switch is mounted on the side of the enclosure to control the light source. The invention is powered by a set of small, user replaceable batteries. The use of the disclosed device provides the functionality of a lighted mirror and a lighted magnifying lens in compact case which is not only easy and effective to use but always handy as well.
Several attempts have been made in the past to provide a compact magnifying lens and mirror assembly in a single apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,334, in the name of Belveal et al., discloses a dual-faced mirror compact case with a mirror attached to an expandable and retractable yoke with a pivoting mechanism to allow the user to choose between an normal reflective surface and a magnified reflective surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,587, in the name of Kellum et al., teaches a kit with illuminated tweezers and magnifying mirror, utilized for the removal of unwanted facial hair, comprising a housing with a battery and adapted to accommodate a folding, hinged mirror.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,647, in the name of Holoff et al., describes a tweezer assembly for handling small objects comprising a housing, a magnifying lens, a light source, and tweezers, wherein the tweezers are pivotally mounted on a the housing.
None of the prior art particularly describes a compact, portable device combining the attributes of an illuminated magnifying apparatus, a mirror, a flashlight, and a set of tweezers. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which additional light can be easily added to objects being viewed in a mirror or through a magnifying lens, without the disadvantages as described above.